I will be purchasing a chronograph asap and want to hear some feedback from others as to wich model would be best for my application. I plan on using this outside only and intend on shooting from a bench rest position only out in the country. I do a fare amount of shooting at indoor ranges but I dont believe they would let me set up anything there, if I would even want too. Would I want to buy a tripod to mount the chorny on, should I buy replacement arms right off the bat, is any model more user friendly than others. Im not afraid to spend a little extra if that would get me a remote read-out or a larger screen, etc..Is there a good place to purchase this or just order it from Midway? Thanks in advance for the input

I have two ProChronos purchased from MidwayUSA. They just work, period.

I bought a PACT a few years ago and couldn't get it to do anything but display, "FIRE," its "ready" signal. I called them and was told to turn it sideways across the range to defeat any shadows. Really! I sent it back to Midway.

Last year, I bought a Competitive Edge Dynamics M2. It would only give sensible readings under cloudy skies. Fortunately, after numerous discussions with CED's CEO, they took it back.

Sometimes,"more expensive" just isn't "better."

Ed

Bought a ProChrono from Midway for under $100 on sale. Works perfectly sitting on a tripod from the thrift store that cost about $5.

I own two "Shooting Chrony Alpha Master" chronographs, and love them. I reload a lot, and test every load before making up a whole batch. This chrony has a remote readout that sits right at the bebch with you. It will give you the individual velocities, standard deviation, and extreme spread of each string of shots. It folds up compact enough to go in your range bag. They go on sale regularly at Midway USA for about $99.

Shooting Chrony Alpha Master Chronograph - MidwayUSA


WG840

__________________
Freedom above all else.

Chrono Beta Master here. I love the thing. Low cost...easy to operate..etc..etc. I also load about 1/2 dozen rounds and run them thru the chrono to check them. Then...if I like what I see...thats when I load a batch.

If your going to get serious about reloading...except if you just want a tree stump killer and milk jug killer round...ya GOT to have a chrono that you can use.

I got mine from Midway also

thanks I appreciate the info

Midway USA just delivered my second Beta Master Chrony (got the first one waterlogged in a blizzard last week - I'm hoping it dries out and works again). I use a cheapie Wal-Mart tripod (<$20) and I substitute wooden dowels for the upright rods because when you hit one (and you will), the dowel will shatter and not transmit the force to the body of your chronograph (the way the metal rods will).

I started chronographing in '89 or '90 with an original model Shooting Chrony that I bought together with a friend. The Beta Master is accurate and it works (though - as with any chronograph I've seen used - and that's all of the big makes - the arc-lamp NM sun can be an issue if it's allowed to shine directly on the electric eyes). It's also small and it's cheap. There are some things the company should revamp (the cheesy phone cord and phone jack connectors), but it's a solid value for the money.

Unlike above I've had very good success with a PACT chrono, I'm very happy with mine.

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I have an old chrony gamma model that I've used for years & haven't managed to kill it yet. Knock on wood

I just had a Pro Chrono Digital delivered from Midway on Thursday. Obviously, I can't speak to how well it works, yet, but I researched a lot before the purchase, and the Pro Chrono looked like the clear consensus winner... I say this because I have seen a lot of pros, and cons, with the other brands, but again, overall favorable reports from Pro Chrono owners.

I'm a believer in spending the money to get the best (buy it once...), so I was open to spending whatever it took to get a good one. But again, after checking around, it seems the Pro Chrony is very well received by folks that have one. I came close to getting an Oehler, but a buddy of mine has an Oehler, and a Pro Chrono Digital, and the PCD did as good of a job as the Oehler. The Oehler does have a better build quality, but if actual performance is the same, that's what matters most to me.

So, at around $100, it is a good price for a very good product. Its on sale right now at Midway, I think I paid under $100. I also got the remote... Added bonus, made in USA.

Not sure when I'm going to be able to try it out but I'll chime back in with results... Good luck with you decision.

__________________
NRA Life Member

Another shooting chrony Beta master user. Inexpensive to replace , when you hit them. The remote digital read out is well worth it. A little of the scotch brand "invisible" tape over the hole above the "eyes" , seems to help with the angled sun. It leaves a slightly cloudy film to dissapate the direct sun.

Since it hasn't been mentioned I'll put in a plug for the Oehler. My wife bought a Model 33 as a birthday present back in 1987. I've replaced the batteries once and up-dated the Sky-Screens but it still works just fine with the originals. They also are nice folks to talk to if you have a question or problem.

Dave

__________________
RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

Shooting Chrony Beta Master works good for me too. +1 to the suggestion for using wooden support rods for the sky screens. I use bamboo skewers that I bought at the grocery store. After I but a bullet through the first chrono I bought, I made a guard using a piece of 1/4" x 8" flat steel with a piece of 4" x 4" x 1/2" (IIRC) angle welded pointy side up across one end. I picked up a nice heavy duty tripod for $5 at the Goodwill store that I use to mount it on. The first Shooting Chrony did not have the remote read out. When I re-ordered I got the one with it, and like it better. It's worth the extra $$$ IMO.

__________________
Andy

Probably due to demand, Oehler made a limited run of the previously discontinued 35P last July and they were still listed on their website about a month ago BUT they aren't as inexpensive as many of those mentioned in this thread. FWIW.

I've been using my Oehler 35P for 23+ years now, with never any trouble other than replacing a battery once in a while. The proof channel is a really nice feature, as are the nice wide screens, and 20' sensor lines. I bought the wider 4' bar with mine and have always been glad i did. it makes it even more accurate.

I used a PACT model 1 for about 12 years without issues, but it died last year. I bought a Chrony from Midway, but it gave me unsatisfactory results (obvious inaccuracy) and it just struck me as a questionable design.
I called PACT, and they fave me a $30 discount off the price of the latest Model 1 and included a lifetime warranty. I went with that and the new one works just fine.
I see where several folks have had good luck with their Chronys, and bad luck with PACTs. I guess you can get a lemon from either company. At least the PACT now carries a lifetime warranty.
Oehler's website indicates that they now have some Model 35Ps for sale as a complete kit for $575. It still has an excellent reputation.

I have the Alpha Master also. It has served me well.

I have been using an Oehler 35-P for many years without problems.

A friend bought a "Chrony".....not happy with it. That was about 10 years ago. That thing was a piece of crud. We made a video of him trhowing it up in the air, and me shooting it with a shotgun loaded with "00" buck at least five times before it hit the ground. We sent that video to the folks that made that chronograph with ZERO reply.

Perhaps the "Chrony" has been improved since then.

I think I will stick with what works.....Oehler 35-P.

I had an Oehler 33 years ago and never had any problems with it. When the Oehler 35P came out with the printer I bought one and like the 33 never had any issues with it. The proof channel is a very useful feature. Once I had a real use for pressure testing, etc. I sprung for the Model 43 Personal Ballistic Laboratory. If you can find a 35P or 43 you will be well pleased.

__________________
Doug

Oehler 35p's are currently available. Get them while you can.

I love mine!

43 is my next upgrade!

__________________
SWCA 1646

Oehler's web site states:

"Oehler is making a special run of the Model 35P. Deliveries will begin in late summer, 2010.
Production of the Model 43 remains suspended.
Production of industrial equipment and technical support for all Oehler equipment continues. You can still get warranty service and parts."

It looks as if they intend to only produce industrial equipment very soon. Better hurry if anyone wants a 35P or 43.

__________________
Doug

Another EXTREMELY satisfied Alpha master Chrony owner.

There was a bit to understand about the operation of a ballistic chronograph that was not readily apparent. But when that was absorbed, it became a satisfying relationship.

Don't shoot it - shoot over it, in the designated area is what most of us think is all that matters.

But the chronograph is reading a fleeting discrepancy in the light available to the "eyes", and timing and recording that. The "eyes" can only work in a limited range of illumination, both brightness and color-temperature. It is set for normal sunshine, and as Erich said


Here in PA, nobody's chronograph works well when the sky is all clouded up and getting ready to rain, or the sun has dropped over the mountain. And most won't work well if set up in an area where the sunlight falls on the skyscreens through the leaves of overhanging trees and the light on the screens is variable and rapidly changing. This thing is trying to read a fleeting discrepancy in the light available to the "eyes". Best if that light is consistent and steady, neither too little nor too much.

Flash

I agree 100%.. When I read how guys actually shot the chrony itself..I have to sit and wonder. We ( neighbor shooter and I) have actually shot 30 inches HIGHER than the ..?.."base unit"..??....is on the table and it still gave us proper readouts. No need to be close enough to them to actually HIT them....geeze

I have used the Chrony chronograph (without remote readout) extensively for over 5 years, and it has always performed dependably in bright sun or overcast sky. It has survived 4 or 5 instances in which the wire verticals have been struck by bullets (all from handguns), and it kept on working. It now has mostly home-made wire verticals. And yes, you must have a fairly sturdy camera tripod. I got a nice one at a garage sale for, I think, $5.00. Always keep a few fresh 9 volt batteries handy.

It does not have much in the way of bells and whistles, but unless you do a LOT of shooting where you need the capability to calculate averages and standard deviations, it is excellent. I just use my laptop and Excel to do statistical calculations when necessary, transcribing from my hand-written notes.

There is no really good way for an amateur to calibrate a chronograph precisely, so you do not have much choice beyond believing the velocity numbers that the Chrony provides. At least for .22 Long Rifle, the average of velocities measured are quite close to factory velocity numbers, and that is good enough for me.

My two ProChronos work great in all light conditions but my local club's outdoor rifle and handgun ranges face west, so prime shooting time as far as seeing the targets is in the morning, but then the sun is behind the firing line. Neither the Pact I owned for a week or the CED M2 I owned for almost a year would work reliably there unless the skies were cloudy.

After speaking at length on numerous occasions with the CED CEO, some while actually at the range, I learned why that might be. Higher-priced chronographs usually employ higher quality photocells and CAN be more accurate than the typical $100 chronographs most handloaders use (I refer to them as "hobby-grade"). However, those "better" photocells are also more sensitive to light conditions, which is why they often won't work reliably unless the light is on both photocells equally and fairly directly - no shadows - or there is no bright sunlight. Those chronographs aren't bad designs, they just aren't well suited to the handloader who cannot (or doesn't want to) wait until the lighting is perfect to do his range testing. For the handloader who fits that description, as I do, the lower-priced units could be the best buy.

To me, knowing the muzzle velocity of a recipe is nice but the deviation is actually more important, as that will help you determine if a load doesn't group well because the firearm just doesn't like it or because the powder charges are not consistent enough.

Ed

A knowledgeable friend set his Beta Master Chrony inside his PACT chronograph. Difference in readings was 3 fps. I'd say this experiment was a thumbs-up for the calibration of both machines.